Entwistle was 'tossed out the window'

The director general of the BBC, George Entwistle, has announced his resignation.

He had been heavily criticised over his handling of a report by Newsnight, which wrongly implicated the former Conservative treasurer, Lord McAlpine, in child abuse.

The BBC and the programme were already under intense scrutiny for dropping an investigation into child abuse by Jimmy Savile.

Mr Entwistle said he believed that standing down was "the honourable thing to do".

Former TV executive David Elstein described the current situation as ludicrous.